It is well known to employ robots in the manufacture and assembly of automobile components. Robots may be employed to pick up a workpiece, perform various manufacturing and assembly operations thereon, and then place the workpiece at a desired location. Thus, the robot is equipped with a hand suitable for picking up, holding, manipulating, and then placing the workpiece.
It is known that the robot hand may incorporate a magnet for picking up a metallic workpiece. Furthermore, the robot hand may be a suction cup for picking up a workpiece which is air impermeable. Still other robot hands may have a pair of fingers which are squeezed together to grip opposing faces of the workpiece.
It would be desirable to provide a robot hand which could pick up a non-magnetic air-permeable workpiece of the type in which the outer margin of the workpiece must be clear of any gripping fingers thereon because of the need to perform manufacturing and assembly operations on the margin of the workpiece. For example, in the manufacture of trim panels for motor vehicle doors, it is desirable to pick up a pressed wood fiber hardboard panel via an aperture in the panel and to apply glue to the hardboard and then install a sheet of carpet or vinyl onto the hardboard and wrapped around the edges thereof.